Finding Good Child Care
Have a specific
question about child care that's not answered here? Call
the Partnership for Children of Cumberland County, Inc. at 860-2277. Click here to search for child care in your area.
Parents Q&A
Who can help me find the right care for my child?
The Partnership for Children of Cumberland County's Child Care Resource and Referral staff. Our
family support counselors will help you find out what's available
in your area, and give you information on costs, financial
assistance, names to contact, and what to look for when
visiting programs.
Is it important to look for licensed child care?
Yes.
A license shows the provider meets North Carolina’s
rules for health, safety and education. It will be posted
where you can see it. A license is an extremely important
credential.
How can I judge the quality of the child care?
Visit
the program. Look for the license. Trust your instincts.
And always ask questions. It pays to take the steps to
ensure your child is safe and happy.
What's the best way to make my choice?
Visit
programs and compare. Go in the morning when children are
most active. If the provider is very busy, but you like
what you see, go back when there is time to talk.
When should I start looking?
The sooner,
the better, especially if you have young children. Many
good facilities fill up quickly, so give yourself lots
of time to visit and compare.
Who's Regulated by the Division of Child Development
(DCD)?
If your provider is caring for more than
two children who aren't related and they provide care
for more than four hours a day, they probably should
be licensed. In general, there are two types of programs
regulated by the state, Family Child Care Homes and Child
Care Centers.
- Family Child Care Home - A smaller program offered
in the provider's residence where there are five or fewer
preschool children in care. In addition, they may also
provide care for three school age children.
- Child Care Center - A larger program providing care
for more than three children but not in a residential
setting. The number of children in care is based upon
the size of individual classrooms and having sufficient
staff, equipment and materials.
- For additional information regarding child care click here. This link will take you to the Division of Child Development web search.
Are Any Programs Exempt From Regulation?
Yes.
Listed below are those instances where a program does not
have to be regulated by the Division:
- Recreational programs operated for less than four
consecutive months in a year (e.g. summer camps)
- Specialized activities or instruction such as athletics,
dance, art, music lessons, horseback riding, gymnastics,
or organized clubs for children, such as Boy Scouts,
Girl Scouts, 4-H groups, or boys and girls clubs
- Drop-in or short-term care provided while parents
participate in activities that are not employment related,
and where the parents are on the premises or otherwise
easily accessible, such as drop-in or short-term care
provided in health spas, bowling alleys, shopping malls,
resort hotels, or churches
- Public schools
- Nonpublic schools that are accredited by the Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools and that operate
a child care facility for less than six and one-half
hours per day
- Vacation Bible schools
- Centers and Homes located on federal property over
which the federal government has control (military based
and the Cherokee Indian reservation)
- Cooperative arrangements among parents to provide
care for their own children as a convenience rather than
for employment
- Any child care program or arrangement consisting of
two or more separate components, each of which operates
for four hours or less per day with different children
attending each component
What are the Regulations For Child Care?
All
child care programs are required to meet child care requirements.
In addition, Centers are also required to meet sanitation,
building and fire codes as required by other state agencies.
Child care requirements ensure that programs are meeting
the minimum standards for care in North Carolina. The Star
Rated License System recognizes facilities for their
voluntary efforts to exceed these minimum standards.
When you enroll your child in a program, you should receive
a summary of the requirements from the provider. You can
also print (legal size paper required) the
summary from this web site. If you are interested in
viewing more details about child care requirements, the
complete text of North Carolina Child Care Requirements is
available.
How does the Division Monitor Child Care Regulations?
The
Division employs child care consultants to ensure child
care regulations are being met. The consultants are located
throughout the state and are responsible for a caseload
of licensed programs in one or more counties. The consultants
conduct site visits, most of which are unannounced. Visits
may be made for a variety of reasons such as:
- Pre-licensing visits for new programs
- Annual visits
- Complaint investigations
- Technical assistance
- Rated license evaluations
- Follow-up visits, as necessary
Documentation of information gathered during these visits
is available for the public to view. If you would like
to review the documentation of information gathered during
a visit, you can ask for it from your provider or contact
the Division of Child Development at 800.859.0829. You
can also view most of this information online using the Division's
Facility Search Site.
What should I consider when observing and talking
to the people at a child care program?
When
you visit, watch how caregivers interact with your child
and other children. They are an important part of your
child's care. There should be enough adults to work with
a group and to care for individual children. Child Caregivers
should:
- Be nurturing
- Understand how children learn and grow
- Have experience and education in working with young
children
- Encourage you to visit and get involved
- Design programs to promote the healthy development
of each child
What should I look for in a child care facility?
Make
sure you are comfortable with the look of the facility
and the program. It should offer:
- Clean, safe, inviting spaces
- Indoor and outdoor play areas
- Nutritious and appealing snacks and meals
How can I tell if a program will benefit my young
child?
A program should:
- Offer a variety of educational, fun activities, appropriate
to the age of the children
- Have plenty of safe toys and learning materials
- Encourage creative play
- Allow children time to play alone and with others
- Plan both quiet time and active play, indoors and outdoors
What Can Parents Do?
Because parents
are in a child care program each day, they have the best
knowledge of what the provider is, or is not doing. Children
need for parents to constantly assess the child care arrangement.
Here are some proactive ways parents can evaluate child
care providers on an ongoing basis:
- Ask your child what he or she does during the day
- Find out how he or she interacts with the caregiver.
Listen carefully to what your child says
- Spend a few minutes each day to talk with the caregiver
about your child
- Drop in frequently and participate in activities
- Observe behavior during drop-off and pick-up, and
explore unexplained changes
After I choose a child care program, what else
should I keep in mind?
Keep on caring. Stay
involved. Visit often and talk with the caregivers. Meet
all the people who work and play with your child. Tell
them about changes at home that may affect your child's
behavior. Ask about your child's progress. Get involved
in the program, and the parents' group for that program.
If there isn't one, talk with other parents about starting
one. Any time you see a condition or activity you don't
like, tell your provider right away. If you are not satisfied,
call the Partnership for Children of Cumberland County, Inc..
For more information please contact
Michelle Hearon - Family Support Military Coordinator
Raquel Rodriguez - Family Support Manager
860-2277
mhearon@ccpfc.org or rrodriguez@ccpfc.org
